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Obituary: A Mountain Mama and Artist at Heart

A GIVER: A mother, wife, artist, school kids champion, and longtime neighbor, Kathleen was grateful to live in the supportive Truckee community. Photo by Greg Jensen

The memorial service for this longtime Truckee resident was at full capacity on March 24, with those in attendance representing a cross-section of those who make up the local community — long-established families, business owners, teachers, and of course, her devoted family. The date, March 24, was also the 31st wedding anniversary for Kathleen and her husband Greg, who met at Sugar Bowl during the 1983/84 ski season. Both Kathleen and Greg were grateful to have been well employed in Truckee for the majority of their lives together and would say often they were blessed to have raised their three children Jeremy, Jordan, and Jessie in such a supportive community.

Many of you might have known Kathleen from her position as the administrative secretary for Glenshire Elementary, a job she achieved after being a volunteer for many years, dating back to 1995. One of her favorite aspects of working for the school district was having kids run up and give her a hug when seeing her out and about in town. Kathleen always said this was especially nice when her own kids were away at college.

As a mother and wife, Kathleen gave the world to her family, which included unconditional love, support, laughter, tears, and plenty of exposure to the world of art and music. Kathleen was an artist to her core and left her family with a lifetime of memories in the form of her photography, handcrafted mementos, and doses of writing which her family plans on using to continue telling her story, and to honor the beautiful energy she brought into this world. The following is a poem she shared with her family:

Remember Me in Your Heart

To the living, I am gone,

To the sorrowful, I will never return,

To the angry, I was cheated,

But to the happy, I am at peace,

And to the faithful, I have never left.

I cannot speak, but I can listen.

I cannot be seen, but I can be heard.

So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea …

As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity …

Remember me.

Remember me in your heart:

Your thoughts, and your memories,

Of the times we loved,

The times we cried,

The times we fought,

The times we laughed.

For if you always think of me,

I will never have gone.

~ Anonymous ~

In her memory, the Jensen family plans to host a party on March 24, every year, for all who will come.

~ Jeremy Jensen, Moonshine Ink’s photographer since 2014, is devoted to carrying on the artistic torch his mom passed him.

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The Opinion Page is your place to spout off. This section contains letters to the editor and longer My Shot pieces. Also, the Spout features two bimonthly perspectives — In the Past, delving into Tahoe Truckee history, and In the Moment, an artistic musing of a moment today.